email:

Ancient DNA and conservation

  1. Introduction to ancient DNA
  2. Properties of ancient DNA
  3. Analysis of ancient DNA
  4. Case studies:
    • Lynx
    • Whoolly Rhino
    • Great Auk

Why is ancient DNA important?

Tracking populations through time

Credit: Claudiu Pantiru/Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History

Young research field (40 years)

…but highly prolific

Svante Pääbo, Nobel Laureate 2022

“Teething” problems…

Sorry, no dinosaurs…

First Pleistocene DNA in 1994

First Pleistocene genome in 2010

Where can you get it

  • bones
  • teeth
  • soft tissue (permafrost, mummies)
  • coprolites
  • sediments


What can you get*

  • DNA fragmentation
  • Small quantities
  • High levels of contamination
  • DNA degradation

* (usually)

What can you get (in Bangor)

Ancient DNA timeline

Dalén et al. 2023, Science

Fragmentation

DNA fragmentation

→ Gets worse with time and poor preservation conditions

DNA fragmentation: PCR

DNA fragmentation: PCR

DNA fragmentation: NGS

DNA fragmentation: NGS

Low quantity / high contamination

Endogenous vs exogenous DNA

“Brute force” sequencing

Targetting the right sample

Targetting the right sample

Hybridisation capture

DNA degradation

Chemical DNA damage

→ Gets worse with time and poor preservation conditions

Nucleotide misincorporations

Nucleotide misincorporations

Nucleotide misincorporations

Applications

Lynx

“Natural genetic rescue”

Whooly rhino

“Extinction processes”

Great Auk

  • “Conservation genetics”

Conclusion